I had enough digestive problems on Friday to put me out for almost a day - which is very rare for me, I'm lucky that way, usually - so I'm going to plug the wine I had on Thursday, because when Midbar Winery finally gets its kosher certification, you guys are going to be in for a treat (unless the Katzrin Chardonnay has ruined your palate for life). No one in Israel makes wines like Yaacov Or'yah.

Semillon, 2009

This low alcohol (11%), lightly colored wine is referred to on the winery's site as special early harvest - only in Israel would that be a point of distinction. It has such a fragrant nose of green apples and chalk and talc, with a an aromatic breed that is almost Riesling-like, yet that restraint comes alongside a vital intensity. The palate echoes that, with purity and understated depth. I've only had maybe one or two pure Semillon, so it's not that easy for me to place this wine, but I found it totally captivating, and its aromas and flavors don't so much change with air as modulate their pitch and volume. This is one of the best whites in Israel, a noble wine that presented myriad facets in its evening date with us.Yaacov plans to release this in 2014 and while I can see the point, the suspense is going to kill me.

Midbar's other whites range in price between 100-120 NIS, but this is going to be more expensive, because it will be aged longer in the winery.

ChaimShraga wrote:when Midbar Winery finally gets its kosher certification, you guys are going to be in for a treat (unless the Katzrin Chardonnay has ruined your palate for life). No one in Israel makes wines like Yaacov Or'yah.

Hi ChaimShraga, sounds very exciting indeed! I don't know whether you are aware of such details or not, but is Midbar exactly like Asif was? Meaning that the only difference between a kosher winery and this one is the absence of an official certification or are other people involved in the production with Yaakov that are not observant jews? I doubt it as Yaakov wouldn't himself drink the wines then but I'm curious because I would then drink the Midbar wines already now, Yaakov's "permission" is enough for me!

Domaine Ventura Cabernet Franc 2009: Deep garnet, full-bodied with on the nose cigar box and black plums, on the palate black plums, not fully-ripe and somewhat acidic blackberries, some licorice, earthy minerals with notes of fresh red bell pepper, a hint of sweet cedar and almost integrated tannins on the long finish. Reminded me a bit of the Ella Valley Cabernet Franc '06 but very different from the Gush Etzion Cab Franc 2008 I enjoyed a few weeks ago. Anyway, well-done.

After the meal, some delicious and flavorful wild raspberries eau-de-vie (brandy) produced by Dopff-au-Moulin, a famous winery in Alsace-France producing mainly well regarded yet not kosher Gewurz, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Crémant d'Alsace (sparkling champagne-like wine) among other goodies, unfortunately not kosher . At least, I can enjoy the raspberries stuff!

Shabbat lunch:

The Jerusalem Winery, Nikanor Cabernet Sauvignon 2006: Same as last time, this wine is mature, throwing quite a bit of sediments and about to go downhill soon though it may still have some 6 months or so left before doing so. I'm not worried about it anyway since this was the last bottle. Time now to start enjoying the 2009 vintage (I believe they didn't make a Nikanor in 2007-8). Aged for 12 months in french oak barrels, dark garnet with on the nose and palate ripe, jammy blackberries as well as red currants, with gentle spiciness complementing the near-sweet tannins on the long finish. Putting it without modesty, one of my QPR discoveries of the year at 55 shekels ($ 13.50) a bottle. After the meal some whiskey, Connemara 12 (peated Irish single malt), Laphroaig 10 and Johnny Walker Green Label (15).

There is a new winemaker now at the Jerusalem Winery whose name has fallen out of my memory but the Nikanor '06 was made by Patrik Hababou who is now CEO and winemaker at the boutique Goshen Winery (I've tasted the wines) and is also the winemaker that overseen the production of the new Sito line of wines. I've tasted the Sito wines as well and liked the Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand and the Moscato d'Asti.

Invited someone who rode Bike4Chai with me over for Friday night dinner, so i broke out a 2005 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon. He dropped off a 2008 Rothschild Haut-Medoc. Both were excellent, and both were gone by the end of the meal.

Hagafen Roussanne 2011 - Unlike previous vintages this one is not blended with Marsanne, and as a result what it gives up in complexity is made up in the brightness of its fruit. The aromas are of pears and the flavor profile is of pears, quince and chamomile. There is intensity of aroma and flavor on a light frame. The wine is crisp and fresh, but also sports a creamy texture that blunts the acid's edge. 13.5% AbV with an $18 list price. B-/***

Tzora Neve Ilan 2005 - With no traces of New World fruit, this is a brooding Old World styled wine, showing an abundance of green flavors. The wine is thinning, the color is bricking, and the tannins have mellowed out. 13.5% AbV. C/**

Amongst others, we tried, for the first time the newly released Yarden 2T 2009. Something very different from anything else we have experienced! Very rich, deep flavours, and very pleasant to drink . Must get some more soon!

Yatir 2009 Petit Verdot was a bit of a disappointment though. Maybe not really suited to be made as a single variety but more as an excellent blending agent?

ChaimShraga wrote:when Midbar Winery finally gets its kosher certification, you guys are going to be in for a treat (unless the Katzrin Chardonnay has ruined your palate for life). No one in Israel makes wines like Yaacov Or'yah.

Hi ChaimShraga, sounds very exciting indeed! I don't know whether you are aware of such details or not, but is Midbar exactly like Asif was? Meaning that the only difference between a kosher winery and this one is the absence of an official certification or are other people involved in the production with Yaakov that are not observant jews? I doubt it as Yaakov wouldn't himself drink the wines then but I'm curious because I would then drink the Midbar wines already now, Yaakov's "permission" is enough for me!

My understanding from the local press is that the wines are kosher in practice even if not in certification. The back label attests to that.

Fri night: 2009 Florenza, Barbera d'Alba. Way too much heat. Fruit was strong on the nose, and at the beginning on the palate, but faded under the sharpness of the alcohol. Last week, when I complained about the same in the 2008 Yarden Pinot, my wife thought it was OK, so I put it down to the peculiarities of my taste buds. But this time, she picked it up immediately as well.

Shabbat lunch: 2010 Joseph Mellot Sancerre. Delicious! Probably the best SB (kosher) I've had, and there are some very nice Israeli ones (favorites are Dalton Reserve and Teperberg Terra). Someone, a couple of weeks back, wrote it was quite good but overpriced, but I forget whether the context was kosher wines or non-kosher as well. At about $25 (local Rosh Hashana sale), I would not hesitate to buy it for those occasions when I am looking for something extra.

2009 Bartenura Morellino di Scansano. Bad news. I had enjoyed this lighter red throughout this past year, but it hung around too long. Definitely off. Had to pour it out. Hopefully it was just one bad bottle.

2009 Elvi, Mati, Rioja. Also delicious. Needs a bit time to open in the glass, but when it does, tasty, smooth. Maybe not a deep red for a cold winter's night, but just right for this season.

01 Yarden Ortal Merlot - When first poured it gave off aromas of bandaid and vaseline that I find sometimes in mature red wines. Not as offputting as it sounds though. It was highly extracted with a long finish. Despite the wine being of exellent quality it didnt excite me.

Marc G wrote:01 Yarden Ortal Merlot - When first poured it gave off aromas of bandaid and vaseline that I find sometimes in mature red wines. Not as offputting as it sounds though. It was highly extracted with a long finish. Despite the wine being of exellent quality it didnt excited me.

WOW! I have had that wine recently and it did not display itself to me that way. I will try it again on Rosh Hashanah and get back to you.

I get to meet all sorts of people in this business, and in this neighborhood (Rechavia) in particular... A couple weeks back, some yeshivish-dressed guy walked in and while I was busy talking with a customer, he looked at the WOW (Wall Of Wine) and then starred at me like if I were an alien or something. I politely asked him (in hebrew) if I could help him somehow and he then replied in english (just quoting): "Dude! (yeah, he really called me "dude") Can you show me how do you crush the grapes?!" ...

Anyway my week started nicely with fellow forumite Mark Liser who paid me a visit. Then tonight a group of friends from Geneva and New York stopped by so we opened a few bottles for some madness tasting:

Lueria, Gran Vital 2008: While this is actually a new world blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Shiraz aged for 24 months in french barriques, it has an elegant nose more resembling a Bordeaux-blend, actually a little bit reminiscent of The Cave 2008, yet the palate is still more new world. Dark purple towards garnet, full-bodied with on the nose bursting black currants, dark chocolate, roasted meat and sweet wood, followed on the palate by loads of deeply extracted fruit: juicy black currants and blackberries, Mediterranean herbs and a hint of tar along with notes of mouth-watering melted backer's chocolate and new leather, well-balanced with integrating near sweet-tannins on a very long finish. Elegant, complex and well-crafted, a wine that deserves IMHO to be considered as one of the best israeli wines.

Domaine Ventura, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009: Excellent, rich, nice extraction, complex and long as always. This winery remains one of the greatest enigmas of the Israeli wine industry...

Binyamina, Shiraz Reserve 2007: This wine is a crowd-pleaser with its dense sweet fruit. Full-bodied with on the nose sweet, almost jammy bramble along with fresh olives and fresh tobacco, the jammy bramble shows on the palate along with roasted meat, red plums, sweet cedar wood and olives, nice tannins rise on the mouth-filling finish. Quite lovely.

GHW, Golan Cabernet Sauvignon 2008: Who would have guessed? Last time I had this wine, almost a year ago, I thought it was about to go downhill. Well, as surprising as it may sound this entry-level QPR wine has actually gained complexity with time and was alive and kicking though I wouldn't take a chance and finish any bottles left over the next 6 months. Really nice and a bargain at a mere 40 shekels.

Ok so tonight at dinner out with some high-rollers who are used to drink wines the likes of Castel GV or Yatir Forest as daily quaffers, we had a bottle of Carmel Kayoumi Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. While I liked it quite a bit, these guys were not as enthusiastic, saying that it lacked a bit of body and complexity. It is indeed not the most full-bodied wine out there and is not as multi-dimensional as is the Yatir Forest but quite a lovely wine if you ask me. As to the restaurant, due to some very high level of kashrut requested by one of the participants, we ended at a place I'd rather not comment about as we're now 2 weeks before Rosh Hashana...

Carmel, Cabernet Sauvignon Kerem Kayoumi 2007: Deep garnet with purple reflections, the nose made me briefly "fear" that we had actually been served the Shiraz. Please forgive me as my note might have been slightly influenced by my fancy friends' remarks as I found the wine to be full-bodied yet not as powerful as expected with a nose infused with overripe black plums and cherries with a hint of smoked wood. On the palate ripe plums, blackberries and black cherries together with light notes of mediterranean herbs, vanilla and sweet and spicy cedar wood with silky integrating tannins and balanced acidity leading to a long and nice finish. An excellent wine, distinctly israeli.

Friday night - 2005 Capçanes Peraj Ha'abib - A delicious wine, dark garner in color, full bodied with a nose and mouth with dark berries and very soft tannins that caresses the palate. The finish on this wine is long and luxurious. The wine opened up very quickly, after a few minutes in the glass.

Shabbos day - I had the Yarden Cabernet 2009 - enjoyable but clearly too young and closed - and the Galil Yiron 2009 - which was excellent despite it's youth, I thought it was drinking really well right now and once again a great QPR. (The Capcanes was not as good anymore).

Better late than never:Friday night I sought relief from the scorching heat with a bottle of my beloved 2011 Flam Rose. A-/**.2010 Domane Netofa White: D/*. This was a big disappointment as I love Netofa's reds. The wine was bland with an unpleasant finish.2010 Recanati Merlot Diamond Series: B-/*** Stylistically quite similar to the Shiraz, but the merlot doesn't handle the sweet, oaky style as well. Quite pleasant though. The oak screams with strong saddle leather and vanilla, despite only 4 months in the barrels. I wonder if they add oak chips? Needs another 6 months or so to settle down.2010 Benyamina Reserve Carignana: B-/** Light-bodied with an expressive nose brimming with black berries. Short on the finish. A nice summer quaffer.